December 15, 2020 — WhiteWater announced today that it is has begun a year-long celebration to commemorate its 40th anniversary. The company was founded in 1980 with one clear purpose – to create places where families unite to make joyful lasting memories. Now, 40 years later, they are the world’s largest provider of everything a water park needs, from park design to the broadest range of attractions in the industry.
Looking back on the past 40 years, Geoff Chutter, WhiteWater’s Founder and CEO, still remembers where it all started, “when I opened WhiteWater Waterpark in 1980, I didn’t imagine we would become the industry leader it is today, and I’m humbled. Four decades later and WhiteWater is a designer and manufacturer of over 100 incredible attractions, which can be found in thousands of parks all over the world. Even after all this time, the motivation remains the same, I’ve always wanted to see families have safe, healthy fun together, and alongside with our clients, we continue to achieve that.”
WhiteWater’s odyssey began as one of Canada’s first water parks, where in a fledgling industry, water slide manufacturers were few and far between. As necessity is the mother of invention, WhiteWater started constructing its own water slides and soon after, other parks came calling. Within five years, WhiteWater had acquired a fiberglass manufacturing plant and a local engineering firm to become a complete manufacturing solution provider for water parks around the world.
Throughout its first decade, the company continued to grow, and in 1988, Geoff Chutter met and partnered with Andrew Wray from Barr and Wray North America, and so began their journey of acquiring companies with the best products on the market that water parks need for a complete and satisfying ride mix. WhiteWater has consistently spotted trends early, licensing FlowRider® back in 1998 (acquired in 2014), Master Blaster joined the portfolio in 2003, AquaLoop added thrills in 2008, and most recently SlideWheel’s® Ferris wheel-like rotations in 2019.
However, it’s WhiteWater’s in-house innovations that have become water park staples, enjoyed the world over. Since its debut in 2005, the Boomerango has become many park goer’s favorite gravity- defying water park ride. Other notable additions to the world of water park attractions include Anaconda, with the world’s largest flume, FusionFortress, a complete all-in-one water park structure, and the world’s first fully clear acrylic water slide, the AquaDuck.
When Geoff’s son, Paul Chutter, WhiteWater’s Chief Business Development Officer, entered the business seven years ago he helped to redefine aquatic entertainment even further. Not long after Paul came on board, WhiteWater launched Vantage, a guest journey platform designed to elevate guest experiences while at the same time improve a park’s operational efficiency. This new product is helping to bring technology to consumers that have grown to expect it.
Paul and Geoff Chutter
With no signs of slowing down, Paul and Geoff founded Endless Surf, a revolutionary inland surf experience that they launched while most of the world was in a pandemic lockdown. They have already confirmed Endless Surf projects spanning, Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Americas.
Paul commented, “this year saw my Dad recognized as EY’s Canadian Entrepreneur of The Year. What he has built, alongside Andrew Wray, inspires so many of us and makes WhiteWater a very special place for 600 people to continue to push entertainment boundaries and raise the bar.”
“WhiteWater’s success is thanks to the hugely talented people we’ve assembled. I’m so proud to be part of a team I believe to be the very best in the industry and I can honestly say we’re unstoppable. It is in thanks and recognition we celebrate our 40th anniversary.” Paul concluded.
